Apparatus for marking a moving hot coil

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for marking a hot coil as it travels on a conveyor including a pivotally movable parallelogram structure having one link parallel to the conveyor supporting a marking device, means for sensing the approach of a coil to be marked, means operable by the sensing means to position the marking device at the optimum distance for the mark, means for initiating operation of the marking device, and means for retracting the marking device and its supporting link to a remote position to await the next coil.

United States Patent [72] inventor Alfred Teplitz Pittsburgh, Pa. [21] App1.N0. 766,193

[22] Filed Oct. 9, 1968 [45] Patented June 15, 1971 [73] Assignee United StatesSteelCorporation [54] APPARATUS FOR MARKING A MOVING HOT COIL 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl i. 101/35, 101/114, 101/298, 101/4 [51] Int. Cl 1341117/06, B41f33/O4 [50] FieldofSearch 10l/35,41, 44,298,301,310,316,317,318,287,368,4 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,635 10/1928 Putnam 101/301 1,758,436 5/1930 Fitzgerald 101/301 X 1,808,812 6/1931 Glass 101/301 2,113,867 4/1938 Weymouth..... 101/35 2,443,779 6/1948 Sanders et al... 101/35 2,660,116 11/1953 Lutyens 101/301 2,700,932 2/1955 Bagshaw et a1. 101/301 Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Attorney-Martin J. Carroll ABSTRACT: Apparatus for marking a hot coil as it travels on a conveyor including a pivotally movable parallelogram structure having one link parallel to the conveyor supporting a marking device, means for sensing the approach of a'coil to be marked, means operable by the sensing means to position the marking device at the optimum distance for the mark, means for initiating operation of the marking device, and means for retracting the marking device and its supporting link to a remote position to await the next coil.

PATENTEDJUMSIBYI 3,584,573

sum 2 UF 3 INVENTOR.

A L FRED TEPL r2 A! farney APPARATUS FOR MARKING A MOVING HOT COIL This invention relates to coil marking apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus for marking hot steel coils leaving a hot strip mill. The most common way of doing this is by manually writing on the coil with hot chalk," a waxy crayon that melts at high temperatures and leaves a permanent mark. This method is unsatisfactory because of the adverse environment for the person who does the marking, i.e., the high temperatures and attendant health hazards which induce worker fatigue, carelessness and erroneous markings. Labor costs are also high with this method. Apparatus for overcoming most of these difficulties is disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 720,064, filed Apr. IO, I968 entitled Apparatus for Marking a Coil of strip." However, the apparatus disclosed therein requires that the conveyor be stopped to mark the coil. This is time consuming and also the starting and stopping of the conveyor increases the wear on the equipment.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus for reliably marking an object on a conveyor from a signal originated by the object while the object is moving.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which applies the marking uniformly and accurately.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG; 3 is a view taken ofthe line III-III of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the hydraulic system of my invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the electric circuit used with my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a conveyor for carrying hot strip coils C. Adjacent the conveyor 2 at one side thereof is a parallelogram linkage 4 which includes a first link 6 adjacent and substantially parallel to the conveyor 2, and second and third parallel links 8 and 8 pivotally connected to the ends of link 6. Pedestals 10 and 10 are provided with vertical cylindrical holes 12 and 12' for rotatably receiving vertical pivot pins 14 and 14 attached to the second ends of links 8 and 8', respectively. The links 8 and 8' and the supports therefor are identical and the distance between the axes of pins 14 and I4 is equal to the effective length of link 6; that is, the distance between the pivot connections of the link. A suitable marking device 16 is supported by the link 6. This is preferably an ink marking device of the type shown in Francis et al. application Ser. No. 705,734, filed Feb. 15, 1968. A fluid motor 18 is pivotally supported by means of pin 20 in a pedestal 22. Piston rod 24 of motor 18 is pivotally connected to link 8' intermediate its ends. It will be seen that the linkage 4 can be rotated about the axes of pins 14 and 14' from a marking position adjacent the conveyor to a remote position by operation of motor 18.

Apparatus for sensing the approach of a coil C on the conveyor 2 is provided on the approach side of linkage 4. This includes a fourth link 26 having one end pivotally supported in a pedestal 28 by means of a vertical pin 30. The link 26 has a roller 32 mounted on its end adjacent the conveyor 2. It is preferred that the link 26 include an L-shaped portion 34 extending downwardly so that roller 32 contacts the coil C adjacent its bottom as shown in FIG. 2. A pin 36 is attached to and extends upwardly form link 26 intermediate its ends. A fifth link 38 has one end pivotally connected by pin 39 to link 8 intermediate its end. The other end of link 38 has an elongated slot 40 for receiving pin 36. A conventional spring biased stem operated, two-position, four-way hydraulic valve 42 is mounted on link 38 with its stem 44 contacting pin 36.

As shown in FIG. 4, fluid, preferably oil, is supplied to motor 18 under pressure from a fixed displacement pump 46,

driven by electric motor 48, through conduit 50 and is returned to a sump 52 through conduit 54. Valve 42 controls flow of the fluid to and from motor 118. Connected in parallel with valve 42 is a conventional two-position four-way valve 56 operated by solenoids 56S and 5681. Power for operating solenoid S65 is supplied from power source LI, L2 through a limit switch 58 located adjacent link 8' and operable thereby. Power for operating solenoid S681 is supplied from power source L1, L2 through a limit switch 60 located adjacent conveyor 2 on the exit side of the marking station and operable by a coil C traveling along conveyor 2.

As shown in FIG. 5 the marking device 16 is powered by source L1, L2 through limit switch 62 and latching relay 64. Limit switch 62 is located at the longitudinal center of the conveyor and is so positioned that the coil C will be in its optimum position for applying the mark when it has passed over the switch. As shown, limit switch 62 is a two-contact-type, the first contact 62C being normally closed and the second contact 62C] being normally open. A three contact latching relay 64 has a normally closed contact 64C in series with contact 62C and marking device 16, a normally closed second contact 64C1 and a normally open tlhird contact 64C2. Contact 62Cl is connected in series with two branches which are in parallel, the first branch being coil 64R1 in series with contact 64Cl and the second being coil 64R in series with contact 64C2. A reset button 66 having contacts 66C and 66Cl is connected with coil 64R;

Switch 62 must be movable longitudinally of conveyor 2 if different diameter coils are to be marked. Reference character 62A indicates the optimum location of the switch for minimum diameter coils C. It is also desirable that switch 60 be movable so it can be positioned at the optimum location for operation by different size coils.

To initiate operation, the linkage will be positioned in the inoperative position shown in FIG. I with valves 42 and 56 closed. If the latching relay 64 is not in the position shown in FIG. 5, the switch 66 will be closed manually to move it to that position. As coil C progresses along the conveyor in the direction of the arrow and contacts roller 32 it will cause link 26 to move in a counterclockwise direction, so that pin 36 depresses stem 44 and opens valve 42. This permits flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure to the forward end of the piston of motor 18, thus rotating the parallelogram linkage 4 in a counterclockwise direction toward the dotted line position of FIG. 1. This movement continues so long as the link 26 continues to be deflected by the coil C. When the arm has accommodated the maximum deflection, the spring 425 will return valve 42 to the closed position with the linkage 4 and the marking head 16 in the broken line position shown, which is the optimum position for applying the mark.

When the coil C first depresses the switch 62 to close contact 62C1 and open contact 62C, closing of contact 62Cl provides power to coil 64Rl through closed contact 64C! of latching relay 64 and positions the armature 64A to the left to open contact 64C. As the limit switch returns to its normal position, contact 64C remains open so that power cannot be supplied to the marking device 16 to mark a coil. The switch 62 returns to its normal position when the eye of coil C is reached and is then depressed a second time by the coil C. Closing of contact 62C] now supplies power to coil 64R through the now closed contact 64C2 which causes the armature 64A to move to the right, closing contact 64C. When the limit switch 62 returns to its normal position as the coil C leaves it and reaches its optimum position, contact 62C closes, this supplying power to marking device 16 through closed contact 64C, activating the device and. marking coil C.

Continued movement of coil C will close limit switch 60, which in turn activates the solenoid 5681 and permits the flow of hydraulic fluid to the reverse side of motor 18, thus rotating the parallelogram linkage 4 in a clockwise direction toward the normal or inoperative position. When the linkage 4 reaches the normal position, link 8' will close limit switch 58 to energize solenoid 56S and close valve 56 halting the flow of hydraulic fluid to motor 18, thus returning the parts to their original position.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for marking objects moving along a conveyor comprising: a parallelogram linkage including a first link adjacent said conveyor, a second link having one end pivotally connected to one end of said first link, means pivotally mounting the second end of said second link at a point spaced from said conveyor, and a third link having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said first link, means pivotally mounting the second end of said third link at a point spaced from said conveyor, said second and third links being of equal length and parallel to one another, the distance between said pivot means for the second and third links being equal to the distance between the pivots of said first link; a marking device mounted on said first link adapted to mark said objects on said conveyor; means for moving said parallelogram linkage about said pivot means to position said first link with respect to said conveyor; means for detecting an object on said conveyor approaching said marking device; and means operable by said detecting means for operating said parallelogram linkage moving means to position said first link and marking device in operative position to mark said object; said detecting means including a fourth link having one end adjacent the conveyor and adapted to contact an object thereon, means pivotally mounting the second of said fourth link at a point spaced from said conveyor in alignment with the pivot supports for the second and third links; and the means operable by said detecting means including a pin mounted on said fourth link intermediate the ends thereof, a fifth link pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the parallel link on the object approach side of said linkage, said fifth link having a slot therein for receiving said pin, and a control mounted on said fifth link operable by movement of said pin to cause movement of said first link to operable position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for moving said parallelogram linkage includes a fluid motor operatively connected to one of said parallel links, and said control is a valve for controlling flow of fluid to said fluid mo- I01.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means operable by an object leaving said marking device for operating said parallelogram linkage moving means to position said first link and marking device in inoperative position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the means for moving said parallelogram linkage includes a fluid motor operatively connected to one of said parallel links, and said control is a valve for controlling flow of fluid to said fluid motor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the means operable to position said first link and marking device in inoperative position includes a second valve in parallel with said first named valve, two solenoids for moving sad second valve, a first limit switch operable by a coil leaving the marking device to operate one of said solenoids to permit flow of fluid to said motor to cause reverse operation thereof, and a second limit switch operable by movement of said parallelogram linkage to operate the other of said solenoids to stop fiow of fluid to said motor. 

1. Apparatus for marking objects moving along a conveyor comprising: a parallelogram linkage including a first link adjacent said conveyor, a second link having one end pivotally connected to one end of said first link, means pivotally mounting the second end of said second link at a point spaced from said conveyor, and a third link having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said first link, means pivotally mounting the second end of said third link at a point spaced from said conveyor, said second and third links being of equal length and parallel to one another, the distance between said pivot means for the second and third links being equal to the distance between the pivots of said first link; a marking device mounted on said first link adapted to mark said objects on said conveyor; means for moving said parallelogram linkage about said pivot means to position said first link with respect to said conveyor; means for detecting an object on said conveyor approaching said marking device; and means operable by said detecting means for operating said parallelogram linkage moving means to position said first link and marking device in operative position to mark said object; said detecting means including a fourth link having one end adjacent the conveyor and adapted to contact an object thereon, means pivotally mounting the second of said fourth link at a point spaced from said conveyor in alignment with the pivot supports for the second and third links; and the means operable by said detecting means including a pin mounted on said fourth link intermediate the ends thereof, a fifth link pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the parallel link on the object approach side of said linkage, said fifth link having a slot therein for receiving said pin, and a control mounted on said fifth link operable by movement of said pin to cause movement of said first link to operable position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for moving said paRallelogram linkage includes a fluid motor operatively connected to one of said parallel links, and said control is a valve for controlling flow of fluid to said fluid motor.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means operable by an object leaving said marking device for operating said parallelogram linkage moving means to position said first link and marking device in inoperative position.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the means for moving said parallelogram linkage includes a fluid motor operatively connected to one of said parallel links, and said control is a valve for controlling flow of fluid to said fluid motor.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the means operable to position said first link and marking device in inoperative position includes a second valve in parallel with said first named valve, two solenoids for moving sad second valve, a first limit switch operable by a coil leaving the marking device to operate one of said solenoids to permit flow of fluid to said motor to cause reverse operation thereof, and a second limit switch operable by movement of said parallelogram linkage to operate the other of said solenoids to stop flow of fluid to said motor. 